Maryland Coastal Bays Program: Boosting the Common Tern Population

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Boosting the Common Tern population in one of the Eastern Shore’s most precious ecosystems

Nestled behind Ocean City and Assateague Island, the coastal bays of Maryland are some of the most ecologically diverse regions in the state. A wide variety of wildlife lives within this vibrant ecosystem, including common terns, a species of migratory colonial nesting waterbirds. Striking in appearance and graceful in flight, common terns nest in colonies on the ground on sandy islands. Unfortunately, these iconic birds have declined at an alarming rate since the mid-1980s due to sea level rise and erosion of their natural nesting islands in this coastal habitat. They are now categorized as a state-listed endangered species. 

In an effort to preserve common terns, the Maryland Coastal Bays Program (MCBP) partnered with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Audubon Mid-Atlantic in 2021 to launch an innovative conservation project to provide much-needed nesting habitat and help boost the population. Called the Tern Raft, the project utilizes an artificial floating platform that mimics a natural nesting site. Now in its fifth year, the project has shown great success.

According to data provided by Kim Abplanalp, bird conservation coordinator, MCBP, the population of common terns in Maryland’s coastal bays in 2003 was 520 nesting pairs. By 2020, the number had decreased to fewer than 30 pairs. However, when the Tern Raft was deployed in 2021, the population showed immediate signs of recovery, with 23 pairs using the raft for nesting—making it the largest breeding colony of common terns in the coastal bays that year. In 2024, 304 pairs used the raft for nesting, which showed a recovery of more than half of the nesting population since 2003. 

The Tern Raft is deployed every April through October in Chincoteague Bay, the largest of the five coastal bays. The other coastal bays include Newport Bay, Assawoman Bay, Isle of Wight Bay, and Sinepuxent Bay.

“The Tern Raft has been very successful in creating critical nesting habitat for common terns,” says Kevin Smith, executive director, MCBP. “In 2024, 82 percent of the adult birds that we banded in the previous three years returned to the raft, which is pretty remarkable. This year is especially exciting because it’s the first full year that chicks born on the raft will be old enough to return to breed. It takes three years for birds to mature for breeding, so it feels like we’ve come full circle.”

“Colonial nesting waterbirds will disappear if we don’t preserve their habitat,” adds Nancy Zeller, Ph.D., Citizen Advisory Committee representative, MCBP’s Board of Directors. “Artificial nesting habitat works, but it’s not a long-term solution. We need to rebuild the sand islands, so we can restore the breeding populations of species that rely on the islands to nest.”

Although the Tern Raft focuses on common terns, MCBP and its partners are also working on projects to enhance nesting habitat for royal terns and black skimmers, two other state-listed endangered colonial nesting waterbirds. 

National Recognition

Established in 1996, MCBP is one of 28 National Estuary Programs (NEP) across the country that receives funding from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to work toward the restoration and protection of “estuaries of national significance.” The program establishes partnerships with organizations to monitor water quality, track the health of the coastal bays, identify issues, focus on solutions, and develop restoration projects, such as the Tern Raft. MCBP also offers opportunities to engage members of the community through its educational programs. 

“MCBP works with many organizations and volunteers to keep the coastal bays clean and monitor the health of the waterways, marshes, and maritime forests,” Zeller says. “Maintaining the health of these areas is critical, so we can continue to watch the herons, ospreys, egrets, and terns hunt for fish and raise their young. These are experiences we want to pass on to future generations, and MCBP staff, partners, and volunteers are out there knee-deep in the marshes doing the research, restoration, and monitoring to preserve these habitats.”

A Blueprint for Success

In order to fulfill its mission, MCBP is required by the EPA to develop a Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) to serve as a roadmap for the future. The CCMP must be revised every 10 years to reflect changes over time. This year, the program will release its updated plan, which is prepared with the help of its partners. The CCMP is expected to be finalized and implemented in mid-2025.

 Not only does the CCMP establish goals and actions, but it also determines the lead organization that will be responsible for restoration projects. Without the collaboration of many organizations and volunteers working together, it would be impossible for MCBP to achieve its goals.

“The work we do is so rewarding,” Smith says. “It’s really exciting to see the areas that we’ve restored functioning within the ecosystem like nature intended and to know that we’re helping protect the environment.” 

 To learn more about the Maryland Coastal Bays Program, visit mdcoastalbays.org.

Save the Date: Bay Day

The 6th annual Bay Day event will take place on May 18th, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at White Horse Park in Ocean Pines. Hosted by the Maryland Coastal Bays Program and Ocean Pines Association, Bay Day is a collaborative conservation effort that focuses on improving the health of the waterways adjacent to the residential shores of Ocean Pines. The free, family-friendly event will include hands-on activities, boat rides on the St. Martin River, live music, food trucks, live animal exhibits, and more than 30 conservation partners. For more information, visit mdcoastalbays.org/events.

Special thanks to Liz Wist, education coordinator, Maryland Coastal Bays Program.